Reclining chair



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E. I. GALLOWAY Y Y -REGLINING CHAIR. l No' 4871919- l y Patented Deo.13, 1892 ymym Imm //orngo/ (No Modem 3 sheets-#sheet 2. E. I. GALLOWAY.l`REGlillIlUnr (3H-AIR.V

Patented Deo. 13,1892.

THE Nonms Ferias co., Pnoamwo., wAsmnm'nN, D4 C.

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rn: mams Pneus co., imoau'rna. wAsH NTTE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMMET l. GALLOVAY, OF LA GRANGE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALBERTF. SKEER, JR., OF SAME PLACE.

RECLlNlNG-CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,919, dated December13, 1892.

Application filed April 20, 1892. Serial No. 429,932. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EMMET I. GALLOWAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at La Grange, in the county of La Grange and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reclining-Chairs,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to reclining-chairs mounted to swing upon asuitable support 1o and adapted to be extended to a straight line in anapproximately-horizontal position or elevated into an upright sittingposition at the will of the occupant, the construction of the chair andsupport being such as to adapt I 5 them to fold into compact andconvenient form and render them conveniently portable. The chaircomprises three frames hinged together end to end and constituting theback, the seat, and the leg-rest, said back and leg- Qo rest beingprovided with projections extending at angles on their under sides andconnected by a pair of bars parallel to the seatframe. The proportionsof the extensions and bars are such as to retain the back and 2 5leg-rest parallel, and consequently to cause them to move simultaneouslyin the operation of extending and folding or bringing the chair to anupright position, the' extensions on the respective parts facilitatingthe move- 3o mentthereof by providing for the connectingbars a constantleverage on the parts to be moved. Joints in the rods adapt them to beextended for changing the relative positions of the back and leg-rest,as for bringing the 3 5 leg-rest to a horizontal position, whilemaintaining the back in approximate upright position. The chair ishungby means of a pair of links or rods on each side, which engage attheir upper ends in double hooks attached 4o to the support from whichthe chairis swung. These rods have their respective lower ends attachednear the forward end of the seatframe and at points in the back-frameabove the hinge. The result of this manner of attaching is that when theweight of the occupant is brought to bear on the webbing at a pointbetween the places of attachment of the hanger-rods the back will beelevated and the leg-rest depressed and the chair will as- 5o sume anupright position. The footrest attached to the lower end of the leg-restconsists of a bar extending across the bottom of the chair and havingrearward projections provided with lugs, which engage behind thechair-frame, said bar being supported upon the chair-frame by means ofracks or ratchetplates, to which it is pivoted, and pins upon thechair-frame adapted to engage in the respective notches of said rack.The support upon which the chair is pendently mounted consists of a pairof uprights having bases formed by pairs of feet having at their innerends sliding connections with the lower part of the uprights and attheir outer ends connections through links with the upper parts of thesame, so that the feet may fold into positions alongside the uprights bybringing their outer ends togetherwhile their inner ends slide upward.rlhe support is further provided with a spacing and bracingframeconsisting of a pair of crossed bars whose pairs of upper and lowerends are connected with the uprights, one pair having fixed connection,while the other' pair has sliding connection. Preferably the lower endsof the bars are pivoted to fixed sleeves on the uprights, while theupper ends of the same have limited sliding connection with saiduprights. The uprights may thus be brought together or spread to theproper distance at will, while the bracing and spacing effect of theframe is in no wise impaired. Pressure brought upon the upper ends ofthe upright-s when the support is in use will securely lock both thebases and the spacing-frame and cause the support to assume a rigidposition.

The novel features of construction are hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l is a perspective View of a chair embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a side elevation of the chair proper detached and folded. Fig. 3 is aside elevation, the vrear side of the support being omitted andillustrating an additional feature, the extensionjoint in the side barsand the utility of the same in dotted lines. Fig. 4. is a detailperspective view ot' the extension-joint. Figs. 5 and 6 represent infront and side elevation the support or frame upon which the chair ismounted.

l represents the chair, and 2 the support therefor. The chair comprisesthe back 3, the seat 4, and the leg-rest 5,hin ged together end to endat 6 and 7. Y

8 and 9 represent extensions which project at angles from the rear sidesof the back and leg-rest, respectively, and 10 represents the side bars,approximately parallel with the seatframe and connecting the extensions8 9 together, so as to cause the back and leg-rest to movesimultaneously. The extensions 8 9 are made of such length and at suchangles to the back and leg-rest that the side bars, their points ofattachment, and the chair-joints never come into the same line, whateverposition the chair may 'assume in use, so that said side bars have aconstant leverage on the parts which they control, and said' side barstherefore never lose their efficiency.

The back-frame, seat-frame, and leg-rest frame each consist of a pair oflongitudinal side pieces 11 and suitable rounds 12. At the joints 6 7,between the seat and the back and leg rest, vthe hinges are made bypassing pins 12zu through overlapped ends of the side pieces, and ateach of these points a single round is used for the two parts. Betweenthe seat and back the round is located between the extensions 8 on theback. 13 represents the webbing, which is stretched from the bottomround of the leg-rest to the top round of the back, passing over theintermediate round at joint 7 and being held in by a loop 14, throughwhich is passed the round between extensions 8. The webbing thus affordsthe only medium of supporting the occupant on the frame, and roundbetween extensions 8 being removed from the main stretch of webbing thecomfort of the occupant is not impaired by contact therewith.

The foot-rest consists of the bar 14,having at each end a rearwardextension 15, and lug 16, engaging behind the chair-frame. The foot-rest14 is supported at each side by a ratchet-plate 17, pivoted at 18 to thelower corner of extension 15 and provided with rearwardly-extendingteeth 19 and a lug 20. The teeth 19 engage a pin 21 on, the chairframe,while the lug 20 engages behind the chair-frame. I have shown but oneside of the chair; but it will be understood that on both sides thearrangement is the same. The teeth 19 are infront of the pins 21, whilethe lugs 16 2O are behind the chair-frame. The parts are thereforesecurely held in place. The distance from pivot 18 to lugs 16 is suchthat upon turning the foot-rest upward sufficient space is left betweenthe lug 16 and the rear of the frame to permit the ratchet-plates to bedisengaged from the pins 21 and the foot-rest to be shifted.

The chair is hung by means of the rods 22,

Y attached at points 23to the seat near the forward part of the seat,and the rods 24, attached at the points 25 to the back above the jointbetween the seat and the back. With this arrangement of thesuspending-rods it will readily be seen that when a predominance ofweight is brought to bear between the points 23 and 25 the rods willtend to draw said points together, and thereby straighten up the back.In this movement the back operates through the medium of extensions 8,side bars 10, and extensions 9 to depress the legrest. The rods 22 and24 are engaged at their upper ends by double hooks 26, having eyes 27for engagement with hooks 23, formed on the nprights of thechair-support, and these hooks 26 are connected with the rods 22 24through the medium of closed eyes 29 and open eyes 30. The object inmaking one eye open and the other eye closed is to permit one rod to bedetached, so that the ends may be separated when the chair is folded.This means for suspension permits the chair to hang pendently and allowsit to be readily detached from its support at any time.

To provide for changing the relation between the back and leg-rest, Iconstruct the side bar 10 with extension-joints 31,as shown in Figs. 3and 4. This joint, as shown particularly in Fig. 4, consists of theoverlapped portions of the bar 32 33, held in longitudinally-slidingrelation by means of collars or sleeves'34 35, one of which may besecured to each.

To control the longitudinal relative movement of the overlapped portions32 33, the sleeve 35 is provided with a dog 36, which is held by saidsleeve Iixedly upon the part 32 and whose end engages notches 37 in thepart 33. The dog is provided with a spring 38, which holds it to itswork. By raising the dog the part 33 may be moved relatively to the part32, after which the dog is dropped into one of the notches and the partsare retained in their new relation. By moving the part 33 outward or tothe right hand in Fig. 3 it is obvious that the leg-rest 5 may bebrought into the positions shown by dotted lines without changing eitherthe position of the back or the position of the part 32 of the side barand its dog. The chair will thus support the legs and back in theposition suggested by the illustration, and when :desired the dog may beagain released and the leg-rest allowed to drop into its normal positionrelative to the back.

The use of this extension-joint does not in any way impair ordinary useof the chair, as de,- scribed with reference to Fig. 1. The dog ispreferably made to extend across both overlapped parts and a notch 37,formed in the stationary part, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the dog dropswhen said notch registers with one of those in the movable part.

In folding the chair into the position shownin Fig. 2 it will be seenthat the foot-rest turns up against the leg-rest, the seat 4 andleg-rest IOO IIO

5 assume positions nearly parallel with the back 3, and thesuspending-rods 22 24, being separated at their upper ends, likewise liealongside the back 3. In this position theA chair is in convenient shapefor movement from place to place. In assuming this position theextension-joint 3l may be shifted, if necessary, to assist in theoperation; but it will be found that the extensions 8 and 9 and the sidebar l0 may be so proportioned that the chair will fold into the positionshown without difficulty and without any necessity for adjustment of theextension-joint. The parts may be brought even closer together thanindicated in Fig. 2. They are shown slightly separated here forperspicuity.

The support consists of a pair of uprights 40, having bases composed oflegs 41, having feet 4I, extending front and rear and having slidingconnection with the lower portion of the uprights through the medium ofsleeves 42, to which the inner ends of the legs 41 are pivoted at 43.The legs likewise have connection through brace-rods 44, pivoted at 45to the outer ends of the legs and also at 46 to sleeves 47 on the upperparts of the uprights. The sleeves 47 are ixed so that when the outerends of the legs 41 are brought together the sleeve 42 slides upwardupon said uprights, or when the sleeve 42 is'moved upward upon theupright the outer end of the legs will be drawn in by the rods 44. Theuprights are provided at their upper ends with inwardly-projectingdoubly-curved hooks 28 for the reception of the double hooks 26,hereinbefore referred to. The uprights are further provided with thespacing and bracing frame 48, which consists in a pair of bars 49,crossed and pivoted at their intersection 50, their ends being connectedwith the uprights through the medium of sleeves 5l and 52. The pair oflower sleeves are fixed, preferably, though not necessarily, to thebottoms of the uprights, while the upper sleeves 52 are mounted to slideupon said uprights. The connection of each end of the rods with itssleeve is through the medium of pivots 53.

54 represents a stop on one of the uprights for the purpose of limitingthe downward movement of the sleeve which impinges upon it, andconsequently'of the opposite sleeve. It will be understood that with thearrangement as explained any movement which causes the sleeves 52 toslide upward upon the uprights will result in bringing the uprightstogether and any reverse movement of the sleeves will tend to separatethe uprights. The separation of the uprights is limited by the stop 54,which arrests the downward movement of the sleeves 52. The foldedposition of the support is illustrated by dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 6,the former showing the uprights brought together, the hooks 28 beingcrossed,as shown, while Fig. 6 shows the legs folded alongside theupright, as above explained.

From the foregoing description it will be seen thatrmy chair is of lightconstruction,

Veasy of manipulation, and readily folded for transportation. When inuse pressure upon the hooks 28 of the uprights tends to keep both thelegs 41 and the spacing and bracing bar 48 in normal positions.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of a support, the seatframe, the back-frame pivotedto the seatframe, having extensions projecting at angles from its rearside, the leg-frame pivoted to the seat-frame, having extensionsprojecting at angles fromits rear side, the overlapping side barsapproximately parallel with the seatframe, connecting the extensions ofthe backframe with the extensions of the leg-frame and each side barconsisting of a bar 32, a sleeve 34, a sleeve 35, providedwith a dog 36,and a bar 33, formed with notches 37 for the engagement of the dog, andmeans by which the back-frame and the seat-frame are suspended from thesupport, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a support, the seatframe, the back-frame pivotedto the seatframe, the suspension-rods connected with the back-frame, thesuspension-rods connected .with the seat-frame, and the double hooks 26,

having upper eyes 27, connected with the supports, closed eyes 29,connected with the suspension rods of the seat-frame, and open eyes 30,connected with the suspension-.rods of the back-frame, substantially asdescribed.

IOO

3. The combination, with the chair, of the v foot-bar extending acrossthe chair and having the lugs engaging behind the chair-frame, theratchet-plates pivoted to the foot-bar and having lugs engaging behindthe chair-frame, and the pins on the chair-frame between the ratchet andthe lugs, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combinatiomwith a chair, of a footbar extending across the chairand having Alugs on its upper side engaging behind the chair-frame andthe ratchet-plates pivoted to the lower side of the foot-bar and havinglugs IIO at their upper ends engaging behind the chairframe and havingon their rear sides teeth engaging pins on the chair-frame, allsubstantially as explained.

5. A chair-support consisting of the uprights 40, having doubly-curvedhooks 28,the legs 41, having feet 41a, the sleeves 42, to which the legsare hinged, sliding on the uprights, the crossed bars 49, pivoted attheir intersection, provided at their upper ends with sleeves 52,sliding on the uprights, and

.the sleeves 51, to which the lower ends of the crossed bars are hinged,located on the uprights beneath the leg-sleeves, substantially asdescribed.

6. A chair-support consisting of the uprights 40, having doubly-curvedhooks 28, the

legs 4l, having feet 41a, the sleeves 42, to 44, hinged to the legs, andthe sleeves 47, to which the legs are hinged, sliding on the upwhich thebrace-rods are hinged, sliding on xo rights, the crossed bams 49,pivoted at their the uprights, substantially as described. lintersection, provided at their upper ends 5 With sleeves 52, sliding onthe nprights, the EMMET I, GALLOWAY.

sleeves 51, to which the lowei1 ends of the Witnesses: crossed bars arehinged, located on the up- FRANK W. MORSE,

rights beneath the leg-sleeves, the brace-rods FESTUS E. STEWART.

